PUBLISHER

John Thier feels the sum of his life experience is best expressed by the following: “So, one spring I was riding horses for Phillip down in Aiken. Phillip would put the working student riding assignments for each day in this big notebook. I would always get the little red mares because Phillip has a sense of humor, or something. But one morning, I looked in the book, and next to my name were the three nicest horses in the barn other than the ones that Phillip was riding. I felt like the luckiest guy on earth. At the end of the day, Phillip asked me how the horses had felt. Feeling like a big shot and pretty full of myself, I gave him a really objective answer. I said that I thought they needed improvement in this area and that area and what not. I think it either annoyed Phillip, or I was completely wrong about the horses because I was put on nothing but red mares for the rest of the spring.” [Email John]

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Leslie Wylie was a professional writer, then a professional rider, before managing to combine the two into a dream job with Nation Media. She helped launch Horse Nation in February 2012 and also contributes to HN’s sister site, Eventing Nation. Her favorite part of each day is racing to the barn after work to snuggle with her equine besties, Esprit and Mishka. Follow Leslie on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (lesliewylie1), and email her at [email protected]

MANAGING EDITOR

Kristen Kovatch is a self-proclaimed horseback writer located in Mayville, New York. A former dabbler in equitation, horsemanship, reining and reined cowhorse, Kristen also spent a few years on the range working a cattle/guest ranch in Wyoming. Kristen now trail rides and bothers cattle from horseback on the family farm and drives her team of Belgian draft horses. [Email Kristen] [Twitter] [Instagram]

CONTRIBUTORS

Meagan DeLisle is a born and raised small town girl with a serious Peter Pan complex. She spends her days working a “big kid job” in human resources while dreaming of the jumper ring. Nestled in the heart of the bootheel of Missouri, Meagan fights the challenges of a full time job, a new marriage, and being severely distanced from major equestrian hubs by writing for Horse Nation and Jumper Nation and spending every free second at the barn working with her green OTTB Joey. Through her writing, Meagan has been able to connect with fellow equestrians who share her struggles as an Adult Amateur and with professionals who are willing to help her out along the way. [Email Meagan] [Instagram]

Morgane Schmidt Gabriel is a 30-year-old teacher/artist/dressage trainer/show announcer/ who still hasn’t quite decided what she wants to be when she grows up. A native Floridian, she now lives in Reno, NV, where she’s been able to confirm her suspicion that snow is utterly worthless. Though she has run the gamut of equestrian disciplines, her favorite is dressage. She has completed both her USDF bronze and silver medals and is currently focused on bringing along Stormy, an APHA gelding, at PSG/I1 and introducing Willie, her coming four-year-old Dutch gelding, to the ways of the show world (though she tries not to be the one with the ‘harpy on a string’ in the warm-up ring). Generally speaking her life is largely ruled by Woody, a 14.2 hand beastly quarter horse, Willie, Stormy, The Husband, and writing gross grad school papers. In her “free time” (i.e. the time she should be sleeping) she draws horses. Visit her website at www.theideaoforder.com or her training site at www.xhaltsalute.com.

Lorraine Jackson of Sanpete County, Utah has been a lifelong daughter of the American West. A graduate and employee of the University of Utah, she has made a study of the history, science, and horsemanship that give the region its distinctive identity. She is enamored with the smart and hearty wild horses and burros gathered from the range, and earnestly works to promote their potential as wonderful sport horses. A die-hard eventer at heart, she is starting her own young BLM mare’s eventing career this season. She has been with Horse Nation since its inception, and is incredibly proud to share stories of the moving, the awesome, and the ridiculous alongside her incredible fellow Horse Nation contributors.

Biz Stamm a horse trainer/mad scientists who enjoys spending her free time running like a gentle breeze in the foothills of the Oregon coast range. Specializing in starting young horses under saddle at Stamm Sport Horse LLC, she brings the analytical approach she has acquired while working in laboratory to her training. She currently owns two horses: the Kalvin Cycle (Kalvin), a 10-year-old half-Arabian gelding, and DB’s Alpha Helix (Helix), a 5-year-old Kiger mustang gelding. While she is currently pursuing competitive goals, her main goal is to enjoy her horses, and for her horses to enjoy her.

Maria Wachter is a self-proclaimed crazy mule lady (similar to a crazy cat lady, just not quite hoarder status). She lives in the mountains outside of Las Vegas, Nevada on her little slice of heaven with her boyfriend, mules, horses and cats. She is obsessed with trail riding and camping, and waits tables at night to fuel her addiction. She has a passion for writing about finding the funny in all things equestrian. She strives regularly to take the seriousness out of the situation and let people see how “special” they are for climbing upon a thousand-pound animal with a mind of its own. [Email Maria]

Candace Wade wrote the book Horse Sluts – The Saga of Two Women on the Trail of Their Yeehaw. She has contributed to Horse Nation, Mature Lifestyles, Riding and Writing, The Tennessean and is a member of American Horse Publications. Candace writes political diatribe, wrote “Hillary’s View” pet column and four unpublished film scripts. She learned to ride at age 46. Still rides at 59+. [Email Candace] [Horse Sluts on Facebook]